Connected: An Internet Encyclopedia
Hardware Media

Top: Connected: An Internet Encyclopedia
Up: Topics

Search: |  | Search Depth: |
Search Type: | String RegEx | Search Options: | NoCase WholeWord

### Hardware Media

The Internet is composed of hosts connected by communication hardware over which IP packets can be exchanged. Any hardware will suffice, so long as it can transport IP. Internet links have been operated using amateur radio transcievers, between high-voltage experimental physics apparatus, and over parallel printer ports. Almost anything will suffice, and the TCP/IP protocols strive to make no assumptions about hardware details.

However, there is clearly a need for standardization for communication over common hardware technologies, such as Ethernet. So, while not strictly part of the Internet protocol suite, many RFCs document standard ways to transport IP packets over various common hardware types. RFC 1880 has a list of these Network-Specific Standard Protocols. Ethernet and serial lines are sampled below; others such as FDDI and Token Ring are not discussed here.

- Ethernet
  - ARP Protocol Overview
    - ARP, Bridging and Routing
    - Proxy ARP
    - Reverse ARP
  - Ethernet Cabling
  - Ethernet Standard Encapsulation
- Serial Links
  - PPP Protocol Overview
  - SLIP Protocol Overview
  - Header Compression (CPPP/CSLIP)

Connected: An Internet Encyclopedia
Hardware Media